Loving your job doesn’t mean you’re productive all the time. Even those most passionate about how they spend their days are bound to run into a bit of a slump sometimes.
Ask your colleagues and you’re bound to get some interesting responses about when they are least productive during the work week. Some hit a wall later in the week. Others feel consistently sluggish in the afternoons, just after they’ve eaten.
Whatever your particular case of unproductiveness is, it’s worth spending some time to experiment with ways to jolt yourself out of it.
Here are six productivity hacks to try today.
1. Eat lunch a bit later in the workday and get away from your desk if you can.
A lot of people hit a slump in the afternoon, particularly if they have lunch early in the day (let’s say 12 or 12:30) and still have to work until 6 or later. If you’re in this bucket, try consuming small, nutrition-packed snacks earlier in the day and saving your lunch for sometime later (let’s say 1:30 or 2). There are two reasons for this: (1) You’ll be glad to know you only have a short window of time after lunch before you leave for the day, and (2) having a later lunch will give you a little something to look forward to during your busy mornings. Bonus: If you can get away from your desk to eat, do it. A change of scenery can only help energize your brain.
2. Create a brand-new playlist with songs that don’t distract you.
If you listen to music during the day, try switching up your playlist — a small change can make a huge impact on how you get through your workday. Tip: You may want to choose some genre of music that isn’t vocal-heavy (i.e. – chillwave, electronica, classical), as many people find it hard to think when someone else’s voice is in their head.
3. Set a timer to get up from your desk at least once a day and take a 10-minute walk (preferably outside).
It’s hard. We know. But there are all sorts of science-backed reasons you need to get out of your seat and take a walk. So do it. If you can get outdoors, even better – there’s something restorative about being out in the elements.
4. Block social media distractions.
There are plenty of apps right now that will tell you how much time you spend on Facebook. There are even apps that will tell you how many times you physically pick up your phone during the day. If you find your eyes constantly darting toward your screen, give it a break. Put your phone in a drawer. Delete your most-distracting apps. Turn off all notifications. Do whatever you need to do to get your head out of the clouds (literally).
5. Schedule something exciting for Monday and Wednesday.
Many people walk into a wall of work on Mondays and end up feeling overwhelmed and drained. Avoid that by scheduling something exciting during the work day, or even after work if that helps. Do the same for Wednesday (best known as “hump day”) so that you can give yourself something to look forward to before Friday.
6. Get new office supplies.
This may sound silly, but there’s something fresh and energizing about having a cool new planner, notebook, or sticky pads. Get yourself unstuck by perusing your office supply closet or bringing in some fun supplies of your own. It’s a small way of injecting some newness into your day (and it will probably help you be more organized).
